Sunday, March 17, 2019

Somebody has a meeting on Doherty (and a note from me on comments)

Someone finally had a meeting on Doherty's building plans, and, even if it wasn't the city and the schools, there was some good information shared. Good for the Friends of Newton Hill and ParkSpirit for keeping an eye on things.
The important bit of news that came out is this:
While no decisions have been made about where the new Doherty is going to be built, Mr. Miller said he has “unofficially heard” that the present school site is likely to receive the most consideration. That begs the question: If the current site is selected, would the students and staff at Doherty have to be uprooted during construction?
Mr. Miller said there has been some speculation that the current South High, which is in the process of being replaced with a new building, could possibly come into play as a temporary home for Doherty. But that’s nothing more than speculation at this point. Such a possibility has never been publicly discussed or mentioned.
The idea of South as swing space so Doherty could be built on the same site was something I hadn't heard til this week. The main complications would be parking and transportation (so maybe we should be talking about transportation costs seriously?). It is space the district already owns and operates, which is always the big issue with swing space, which otherwise can get expensive.
What was pointed out during the meeting is building a high school for 1700 on the 20 acres available at Newton Hill will take creativity, and that takes a particular kind of architecture. We can only hope--since no one is making that process public--that those abilities of the architects to build on the current space are being seriously considered.

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Since I'm quoted in the piece, and since this appears to keep coming up in some quarters, let me say again--as I did multiple times at the meeting, as I do before I speak in public in Worcester at meetings, as I do on this blog, as I do on my Twitter feed, and as I do on my Facebook page--I don't speak for MASC in or on Worcester. I can't. MASC Field Directors intentionally do not have their own districts as field directors. We rarely speak in public on district matters of districts we are directors for (and generally when we do, it is to a school committee at their public meeting).
Reading with an English teacher's eye, I can understand what Nick is doing in the column: there is a reason I'd know what is happening in other districts, and thus citing my profession lends that creditability. I appreciate that. I do follow education news across the state for work.
When I speak about Worcester, I speak as someone who lives here and sends her kids to school here. That is more than enough.



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